


Green Gables Coffee & Tea

by brightblackholes



Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Anne is Dramatic because of course she is, F/M, First Meetings, Young Adults, they do not leave this fic as a couple but there is flirting and Potential
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-06
Updated: 2019-08-06
Packaged: 2020-08-10 06:21:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20130772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brightblackholes/pseuds/brightblackholes
Summary: Diana brings Anne to the most enchanting coffee shop she's ever seen.  The barista behind the counter could be almost as enchanting if Anne could pull her focus away from the shop long enough to really notice him.Written for Writer's Month day 3: Coffee Shop AU





	Green Gables Coffee & Tea

**Author's Note:**

> I am two days late! Whoops!  
This is my first time writing for Anne, and it's unedited, so please be gentle. I'm considering continuing this, but that depends on many factors such as time and motivation, so for now the fic is complete.
> 
> Written for writer's month day 3: Coffee Shop AU

When Diana drags her into the coffee shop, Anne has to stop in the doorway and stare for a moment. Green Gables Coffee & Tea has massive windows to let in the sunlight, and every table has a vase with fresh flowers: splashes of yellows and pinks and greens erupting from each brown surface. The floor is made of blue tiles with a shine on them, and Anne feels like she’s walking on water with every step. The pale green walls are covered with artwork and small painted flowers, vines curving around the frames in a way that wallpaper never would.

“Oh Diana,” she breathes, “it’s beautiful!”

“I thought you’d like it,” Diana says, pleased. They haven’t known each other very long, but Anne loves that Diana already knows her so well to see this coffee shop and think of her.

“You know,” Diana says as Anne slowly twirls to take in the whole shop another time, “this place is hiring. I’m sure Gilbert would give you an application if you asked.”

“Gilbert?” Anne asks, still distracted by the fireplace with a shelf full of books and two armchairs by it.

“Hello, Miss,” a boy’s voice says, and Anne finally turns her attention to the person behind the counter. He has dark tousled hair and a small smile playing on his lips, and Anne finds it almost as distracting as the absolutely scrumptious-looking tart he’s placing in the display case.

“You must be new in town. I haven’t seen you around before, and I tend to know most of Diana’s friends,” he continues, drawing Anne’s attention back to him.

“Anne just moved here,” Diana says. She places a gentle hand on Anne’s arm. “Gilbert and I went to the same school. We’ve known each other for years.”

“That’s nice,” Anne says, but she’s just noticed horses and sheep carved into the counter and won’t be able to tear her eyes away until they’ve traced every crevice.

“Not very talkative, are you?” she distantly hears Gilbert say. Diana laughs and Anne lets her respond, running her fingers over the wood to feel the indentations. It’s so intricate, and must have taken someone a very long time to create. There is no way that something like this was factory made. Near the bottom of the counter, her fingers trace over the initials “MC”.

“Matthew Cuthbert,” Gilbert says.

“Excuse me?” Anne asks, looking up at him again. He’s watching her with intelligent eyes, and she hopes that the attention doesn’t make her blush but knows that she is never that lucky. While her freckles have lessened slightly with the years, her complection’s ability to make her face as red as a tomato has not.

“MC stands for Matthew Cuthbert. He owns the shop with his sister Marilla. He’s the one who carved the counter years ago after his dad passed the shop to him.”

“It’s a family-owned coffee shop?” Anne asks. The thought delights her. Some of her enthusiasm must show through, because Gilbert’s smile grows slightly.

“It is. And we really are hiring, if you’re interested in filling out an application. I’ll put in a good word for you.”

He winks, and Anne is halfway between mortified and horribly pleased. Having a cute boy flirt with her in this wonderful coffee shop feels too good to be true.

“You don’t even know if I can make coffee yet,” she says. Gilbert shrugs.

“I’d train you.”

Anne directs her gaze to the pastries and shrugs.

“We’ll see.”

She can see Gilbert nod out of the corner of her eye, and Diana nudges her.

“I already know what I’m ordering,” she says. “Do you need a minute?”

Anne nods, scanning the chalkboard menu and trying to ignore Gilbert’s expectant gaze. There’s a map off to one side with countries that coffee beans came from marked, and the menu itself is a combination of familiar drinks and delightful concoctions with creative names. Anne keeps falling more and more in love with this place by the second.

“I’ll try a Huckleberry Mudpot. Can I have it iced?” she asks.

“Of course,” Gilbert says, writing the order down. “Do you want a pastry with that? These ones were made fresh today, or we have our leftovers from yesterday over there for a discount.”

Anne glances at the pastries and feels her mouth water, but there’s no way that she’d be able to choose just one and she doesn’t have the appetite for more right now.

“I’ll just start with the coffee for now,” she says. Gilbert nods with a smile and tells her the total, and Anne the coins he hands back in the tip jar. This earns her an appreciative nod, then Diana leads her to a table further in the shop.

“So…” Diana says.

“Hm?” Anne hums.

“Gilbert.”

Anne drags her eyes away from the painting she had been studying and frowns.

“What about him?”

“He was totally flirting with you!” Diana says, bumping her shoulder.

“No he wasn’t!” Anne turns back to the painting only for Diana to grab her arm.

“Yes he was! Trust me. Gilbert has always been charming, but that had  _ intent _ . He totally likes you!”

Anne rolls her eyes.

“He doesn’t. He doesn’t even know me!”

Anne is not a fool. She knows that, while she’s lost a few freckles and her face has matured nicely, she still isn’t much to look at. Her orange hair isn’t even styled properly today! She had just put it in two easy braids, not intent on meeting a cute barista at a magical coffee shop. No, her biggest draw is definitely her mind and her creativity, and Gilbert hasn’t had a chance to become acquainted with that side of her yet. There’s no way he would flirt with her based on looks alone. Even her personality could sometimes push people away if they weren’t kindred spirits.

“Chai latte!” Gilbert calls from the counter, and Diana shoots Anne a look before going to retrieve her drink. Anne resolutely returns to studying the nearby painting rather than watching the way the sunlight from the window flits through Gilbert’s hair.

“Huckleberry Mudpot,” Gilbert calls, and Anne joins Diana at the counter. Gilbert gives her a smile that she ignores, but as she’s grabbing her drink she sees what’s scribbled where her name would usually go.

_ “Carrots! _ ” she nearly shrieks. Then, before she’s even aware of what’s happening enough to consider that it might not be a good idea, she flips her drink over Gilbert’s head.

He stares at her, coffee dripping down his nose. She stares back at him, then turns and manages to walk calmly out of the coffee shop and out of sight of the windows before she has a breakdown.

She just ruined  _ everything _ . She’s had issues with her temper since she was younger, but she’s always been the most defensive about her hair. She  _ knows _ it’s ugly. She’s been told it’s ugly multiple times by multiple bullies throughout her whole childhood. She just can’t believe that a barista in the most magical coffee shop she’s ever found would be so rude and callus as to point it out. He doesn’t even know her well enough to hate her, and now she’ll probably be banned from life, and she’ll never get to try their pastries, or sit at a table and write, or study all of the paintings hanging on the wall, or--

“Anne!” Diana calls, rushing over to her. “Oh, Anne. Take some deep breaths.”

“I’ve ruined everything, Diana!” she sobs. “It was the most beautiful coffee shop but he called me  _ Carrots _ and now everything is horrible and I’ll never be able to go back and--”

“It’s alright, Anne,” Diana said, rubbing soothing circles on her back. “Gilbert feels badly about it. He doesn’t blame you, he just didn’t realize how upset you would be. He even gave me an application for you, so you know that you’re still wanted there. He promised not to tell anyone else.”

Anne tries to regulate her breathing and blinks up at Diana through her tears.

“Really?”

“Yes, really. See? Here’s the application.”

Diana shows her the paper, and Anne swipes at the tears on her cheeks before taking it.

“Come on,” Diana says. “Let’s go walk around for a bit. We can go back to Green Gables another day.”

Anne nods, and Diana links their elbows and starts down the street. Anne stuffs the application in her pocket and tries not to think about it. She’s not sure if she could ever apply there now with the wound so raw, but Diana is right. They can go back another day, and Anne can try to scrape up enough shame to apologize, although Gilbert should do that first.

When they cross the street, she spares the coffee shop one more backwards glance. Through the window, she thinks Gilbert may be looking their way. He may, perhaps, chance a small wave.

Anne doesn’t wave back, but next time, she might.

**Author's Note:**

> I know nothing about coffee. According to one coffee shop website, a Huckleberry Mudpot has white chocolate and huckleberry and is latte style.
> 
> I just had to have Gilbert call Anne "Carrots" and have her freak out about it. It's such an iconic part of their relationship in every adaptation and I couldn't resist.
> 
> Comments and kudos always appreciated!
> 
> Find the fic on Tumblr [here](https://themaevethcometh.tumblr.com/post/186805986863/green-gables-coffee-tea)!


End file.
